TRUST ME | Brothers Conflict | ✔

17

"No one told me that there was a retirement party," I complained softly. Sakura sniggered louder, drawing our manager's attention. However, his sharp glance didn't even reach Sakura who leaned closer to me.

"I bet you were the kind of student who only discovered that there was a test an hour before the test," she whispered in my ear.

"Well, yes, but this isn't my fault," I told her, glaring at our manager. "He forgot to tell me."

"I have known it since the start of April. I find it difficult to believe that in this time frame of five weeks, you didn't even notice the preparations. The announcement of his retirement has been in the newspaper."

"Ah. That might be it. I don't read newspapers," I pointed out cheerfully.

"It isn't a miracle that you can't keep a boyfriend," she scoffed.

Suddenly, I paid more attention to the supervisor of the retirement party who was going through the programme of the evening. Most of my co-workers weren't paying attention, I noticed. They were either talking to others or still typing away on laptops. In the corner of the room, a man was sitting on the windowsill, studying the sky.

Nevertheless, the supervisor -Mister Mamiya, I recalled -continued his presentation.

"Huh? I thought you had a boyfriend," the girl sitting on my other side commented. "You know, that guy with the short black hair who picked you up... two weeks ago? Three weeks ago?"

Ah. Kaoru.

"He broke up with her already, because she was two-timing," Sakura hurried to explain, a smug smile on her face.

"I wasn't two-timing," I hissed, flinching when I realised that I had raised my voice. The supervisor of the project seemed unperturbed by the interruption, but our manager was slowly growing red, his fury in his set jaw.

"You never have a boyfriend," the girl commented, her name on the tip of my tongue. "What's wrong with you that they always dump you?"

The girl's friend started laughing, the shrill sound loud in the room. "Don't be so mean, Reiko."

"But I'm right," Reiko claimed triumphantly.

"Then, you won't have a date tonight?" the friend asked, curiosity in her expression as she turned in my direction.

All three were looking at me, hoping for a negative answer.

"Of course, I have a date tonight," I assured them. I didn't. I didn't even know that there was retirement party until thirty minutes ago, nor had I someone who could function as a date.

Finding someone on such short notice was close to impossible as well.

"I want to see your date," Reiko said, and her friend nodded vehemently in agreement.

"You better take your new boyfriend with you," her friend added, clapping in her hands.

"Could the ladies in the back of the room be silent for a moment?" Mister Mamiya asked, his dry voice drawing our attention. I nodded abashedly, turning back to face the PowerPoint presentation.

Fortunately, he was already on the last sheet, which showed us a short overview of the planning.

Jotting down the time in my notebook, I raised to my feet, following my co-workers to the exit.

"I didn't know that you were dating someone again," Sakura commented, falling into pace beside me. I shrugged uncomfortably. "The more you know."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked with a frown.